WOW STORY OF THE DAY: How an Indian Premium Lifestyle Brand Cracked Harrods London and Secured a Massive Deal from Peyush Bansal

 Copenhagen, Cred, and a Palindrome Born During COVID

NOOE is a premium lifestyle accessories brand founded by Piyush Suri and Neetica Pande. Headquartered in Delhi, the company is known for its clean Scandinavian-inspired designs focused on desk setups, stationery, and everyday essentials.

The partnership between Suri, a seasoned designer working with global luxury brands like Mercedes, Audi, and Marriott, and Pande, an acclaimed designer with a career in Copenhagen, blossomed from a shared vision.

"I fell in love with her design language," Suri recalled, adding, "our chemistry in conversation and vision for design was undeniable."

The duo's collaboration culminated in the conceptualisation of NOOE during the COVID-19 pandemic. Neetica Pande, an industrial designer trained in Copenhagen, has worked with renowned studios like HAY, Normann Copenhagen, and Aspekt Office. Her portable lamp collection for Normann Copenhagen sold out 1.5 lakh pieces in three days, proving her design prowess.

The name itself is a palindrome symbolising balance and symmetry, NOOE, which stands for Never Odd Or Even.

"We believe in symmetry in design, in balance, and in the way we operate. It's a reflection of who we are as individuals and as a brand," said Suri.

Japandi Design, Harrods, and a Goal to Build India's First Global Luxury Brand

NOOE is famously known for its Japandi style, a fusion of Japanese minimalism and Scandinavian functionality. The brand launched its first collection, CONFIG01 DESK SETUP, with five products, which won the prestigious Red Dot Design Award.

The company has delivered its products in over 40 countries and is sold via direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels, corporate gifting, and select premium retail partners, including:

• Harrods

• Neiman Marcus

• The Collective

• Takashimaya

"The idea wasn't to make things faster or cheaper, but better," says Suri.

Each product is built using premium materials including walnut, black oak, space-grade aluminium, and eco-friendly thermo poly leather, underpinned by a quiet, uncluttered, purposeful design language. Natural materials behave like living organisms, reacting to temperature and humidity, and NOOE treats this variability as a feature rather than a flaw.

India's luxury market is projected to touch ₹1,06,129 crore ($12.1 billion), and NOOE's stated goal is to become India's first global luxury desk and carry brand.

"Indians have always been ready for high-quality, feel-good products. The problem was never demand but access," Suri emphasised.

A Refusal, a Tense Door, and the Largest Deal in the Show's History

NOOE entered the tank seeking ₹50 lakh for 1% equity at a ₹50 crore valuation. The pitch captivated all five Sharks, but financial realities sparked debate. With only ₹22 lakh in the bank, ₹1.2 crore in debt, and a burn rate of ₹50 lakh by September 2024, NOOE's sustainability raised concerns.

The negotiation grew genuinely tense.

"We were trying to negotiate a deal and Aman was out, so they both just got up and said there was no deal and the door started opening. I then went back to Peyush and said that we were not done negotiating with him. That's when the door closed and they again sat down," Neetica later told The Indian Express, describing the moment Vineeta Singh and Anupam Mittal nearly walked away.

The Negotiation Breakdown

• Aman Gupta's First Offer: ₹3 crore for 50% equity.

• Peyush Bansal's Counter: Matched the monetary amount but asked for a controlling stake of 51% equity.

• Aman's Revision: Altered his terms to ₹2 crore for 30% equity as Piyush did not want to give away a controlling stake.

• The Founders' Counter: Offered ₹5 crore for 20% equity, which Aman refused.

• The Final Pivot: The founders asked if Peyush Bansal would scale up his capital infusion to match the 51% equity request. Peyush agreed to put up the full ₹5 crore.

"This is my biggest cheque till date," Bansal said.

The deal was finalized on January 8, 2025, valuing NOOE at a restructured valuation of ₹9.8 crore.

Scale and Real-World Impact

 The Founders Who Protect Their Vision Build the Companies Worth Believing In

The sharpest lesson from NOOE's journey is this: the founders who refuse to surrender control for a quick cheque are often the ones who attract the partners genuinely willing to bet on the long-term vision.

Piyush and Neetica could have accepted a faster, easier deal. Instead, they held their ground through a tense negotiation, even as the door to the tank nearly closed on them, and found the partner whose belief matched theirs.

"If anything, the deal and publicity are a result of our vision, not the other way around. The strength of this vision is what convinced Peyush Bansal to back the brand with a ₹5 crore investment," Suri says.

A palindrome name. A pandemic origin story. A Red Dot Design Award. A door that almost closed. A refusal to settle. And now, 2.5x growth and a path toward becoming India's first global luxury desk brand.

Sources: IMP.NEWS, Tracxn, Business Today, Digital Herald, Shark Tank India Club, Startup Article.